Death After Life
by Esai.Synn
Summary: Kagome snorted; she had seen less dramatic deaths that had been more honorable. His glare did nothing to deter her. Fate seemed to dictate that they'd meet in death, life, and somewhere in-between sharing moments that would transcend time.
1. Death's Maiden

Death After Life

Rated: T  
**Warnings: **Contains violence  
Genre: Supernatural, Romance, Inuyasha AU, Naruto Cannon  
Pairing: Kagome and Kisame  
Summary: Kagome snorted; she had seen less dramatic deaths that had been more honorable. His glare did nothing to deter her. Fate seemed to dictate that they'd meet in death, life, and somewhere in-between.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha or Naruto. This is my first attempt at a fanfiction. I must thank for beta'ing this. I hope she caught all my terrible errors.

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…  
I  
Death's Maiden  
…

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"_Can you hear me…"_

Kisame Hoshigaki had died like a true ninja, at least that's what he believed. He had sent the information to Madara and the only thing left was to tie up loose ends. With that determined thought he had made sure to leave nothing of himself behind.

A firm poke to the head and his eyes snapped open. Failure wasn't possible; he clearly remembered the sensation of teeth tearing into his flesh, the sensation of muscle being stripped from bone, and drowning within a torrid of blood and water.

Nature was calm; the winds smelled sweet and the grass soft beneath his hands. He was sitting in the spot he died. There was even a dried patch of blood coating the blades of grass. The burgundy stain echoed nature, the cycle of life thriving from death.

"You're coherent." The bored feminine drawl caused him to turn. There was a woman standing behind him with a pink book in hand. Her sapphire eyes carefully watched him. "I'm glad you didn't suffer any permanent cognitive damage."

_ What the hell…_

His thoughts trailed off in confusion. Maybe, he had died and gone to hell and this woman was the gatekeeper. She didn't look like she could be a gatekeeper of hell. He narrowed his gaze and found that she wasn't dressed like a ninja. Her outfit was too bright; she wore a canary yellow sundress with a white belt that tied at her right hip in a frilly bow. She reached up and adjusted the straw hat on her head. It was then that ne noticed a pin stuck to her hat, it could mean nothing, but it looked like a crescent moon.

"I have come to offer you the deal of a lifetime." She paused only to giggle as if she had made a joke. "I mean your afterlife."

So, he guessed he _was_ dead. As he spread his fingers in the grass he noticed something; he really couldn't feel anything. He knew the air should feel warm, the grass should prickle his palms, but oddly everything was silent. Wonderful, he was truly dead, but at least he hadn't failed in his mission.

"What are you?" Kisame finally rumbled.

She seemed to perk up; her eyes brightening somewhat. The corners of her lips turned up and he realized this girl couldn't be a killer; she was far too open in her expressions.

"I'm performing my last mission!" She proudly proclaimed. Leaning forward she whispered, "It's very special."

"Uh-huh."

The only thing that seemed special was her personality. She smirked as if she guessed his thoughts and shook her head.

"I was killed a long…"

"Killed?" Kisame interrupted. They were both dead or he was in hell with a very confused woman. The situation was becoming less surreal and more annoying.

She nodded, "And I don't have much time before I'm reborn." Kisame blinked and she sighed. "My soul is about to be cleansed, but you must understand that I have to attend to certain things."

"And why am I being bothered?" Kisame questioned wondering if she was sane enough to answer.

Her smile brightened considerably as she said, "I want to proposition your services."

This woman said it as if it were the lightest conversation in the world. She didn't blink or look put off in the slightest. He huffed as he got to his feet; hell was beginning to sound reasonable. At least he knew he'd be tortured physically and wouldn't have to think too hard about much. Amusement suddenly filled him; if he was dead at least he could entertain himself.

"What can a dead man do for you?" Kisame questioned with amusement lilting his tone.

"My name is Kagome," she began. "I am the current Harvester of this world, but am about to be reborn soon—"

"Harvester?" She blushed as she apologized for not explaining in detail. Kisame thought she ought to be blushing over her way of phrasing things, everything sounded so…dirty.

"I collect the souls of those destined for eternal torment."

His eyes widened, that didn't sound promising. He wondered if there was a reason he was seeing this strange girl. She didn't look like any creature that harvested the souls of the damned. Suddenly, he smirked and rushed forward. His large hand aimed for her neck knowing he could snap it once it was within his palm. The look in her eyes went from cheerful to flat; she looked as dead as he felt. Her foot slid backwards and he watched as she dropped into the splits.

Kagome held her hands in front of her and he saw a weapon manifested from nowhere. He jumped backwards wondering if he could use chakra; he couldn't sense it. The seals danced upon his hands and when he ceased, nothing happened. She was already on her feet. The staff was thick, black like burnt wood. Slamming the staff upon the ground he watched as the blade erupted glimmered into existence, the scarlet steel was smoking, the scent of sulfur burning his senses. Her foot lifted and she blurred from existence, his eyes scanned the forest searching for her only to find nothing.

He refused to let his guard down. Despite his awareness, heated metal seared the flesh beneath his chin as he found himself slammed to the ground. The scent of burnt flesh invaded his nose along with a soft hiss reminding him her heated blade was scorching his skin. He remained still as her petite foot claimed his chest and the blunt of her scythe rested against his neck.

"It's hot," Kisame mused. The corner of her mouth quirked, as if she were laughing at some joke

"My weapon is a manifestation of a soul damned to the hottest pit, my soul," Kagome stated.

His eyebrows lifted at her words, before they furrowed in suspicion. She collected the souls of the damned and yet she was damned. Idly, he lifted his hand and pressed his finger against the metal. His flesh sung with pain as it burned. He pulled his thumb away when he heard her sigh.

"Why do you _need_ me?" Kisame questioned, she hadn't killed him.

"There must always be Harvester," Kagome solemnly stated. "I have chosen you to continue in my place."

"And if I refuse?" Kisame questioned, mocking her with a smirk.

"I send you to hell."

She smiled brightly at him as she removed the scythe its threatening position. It was as if she already knew his answer. Hell didn't seem like bad of an option, he wouldn't have to serve another illusion. Kagome lazily leaned against her weapon as she watched him with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Hell will make a deal with you." Kagome mused as if trying to assure that collecting souls wasn't a tedious job. "You collect souls for a chance at life, simple."

"Let me think," Kisame muttered.

Her eyelids dropped at his words. She doubted he thought about anything often. Judging by the pinch between his brows it looked as if he were trying to start a process that didn't occur often. That's what happened when things were left to collect dust. A hot breath escaped her lips as she grew tired of waiting. The scythe vanished from wherever she pulled it. Kisame watched as she lifted her arm to her to her mouth and suddenly kissed her flesh. It wasn't until he saw blood flowing from the corners of her mouth that he realized something wasn't right.

She was upon him, her mouth pushing against his mouth. The scent of dirty coin reached his noised as she maneuvered her lips against him, her hands sliding along his shoulders. The way she moved against his mouth was animalistic, as if she were trying to devour him. The tip of her tongue snaked past his lips and traced his teeth causing him to open his mouth. Something warm and rubbery pushed into his mouth, it wasn't her tongue.

Kagome reacted; her hands slammed him onto his back once more causing him to rasp out a breath. He hadn't realized he had been allowed up. A slender hand covered his mouth as her other hand roughly massaged his throat. Sharply he inhaled what little air he could sneak from behind her hand and something slid down his throat, its passage eased by her ministrations. Her smug grin was dark and pleased as she released him. He was annoyed when he realized he didn't have to breathe and there was a small chunk of flesh torn from her arm.

"Death will show civility even if you won't," Kagome said, her tone soft. His look was soured and he watched her smile grow, bloodstained teeth glistening. It was sad to think he hadn't realized there were worlds beckoning him. There was so much to see. "I have chosen correctly."

"Can't you just send me to hell?" Kisame mocked.

She leaned closer to him as she mused, "And deny you _the_ truth?" Kagome had watched him long enough to know he desired truth. It didn't matter if it was a lie so deeply weaved it mimicked truth, he wanted it. No, she would give him the ultimate freedom; through death he would find the greatest truth.

"The descent into death has beckoned you." She smirked while holding out a hand, offering to help him up. When he took her hand he was surprised once more by her unnatural strength. "It will be the ascent into life that will fuel you."

"What if I don't play this role?"

Her grip tightened so suddenly that he heard bone crack. Mentally he told himself it had to be illusion because he couldn't feel his surroundings. He watched glistening ivory poke through his flesh.

"You have no choice." Her words were simple, but there was a meaning that he couldn't grasp. "You will collect until your debt is paid."

"How long is that?" Kagome smirked; if he was set on going to hell he wouldn't bother asking questions. The newly dead were such fickle creatures.

"Whenever hell decides," Kagome answered. Each debt was different and held a price that couldn't be named. When he figured it out, it would be paid.

He snorted, that was a lame answer. Her grip lessoned and he looked at his crushed hand in disdain. It didn't hurt anymore and wasn't bleeding; being dead didn't seem so bad. Instead, it started healing at a slow rate.

"Your first assignment is to eat me." Kisame lifted a brow and focused on her. The crude jokes flooded his mind and he felt a sense of normalcy. "Consuming me will destroy my impurity and allow me to be released."

"Do I just bite into you?" For a moment, she doubted that his brain ever started working. It must've reached its maximum capabilities and then shut down.

"Nice meeting you, hope I never see you again."

Kisame honestly didn't understand and when she suddenly vanished in a flash of light he supposed he never would. Her soul manifested as a tiny white heart that floated in the air before him. When he reached out, it floated to his hand, and then his stomach clenched. He wasn't aware that the hunger that came upon him had ever existed. Her soul easily slid down his throat, it slipped into places he wasn't sure existed.

Kagome tasted like a tart cherry.

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.TBC.

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Story Notes:

Questions, comments, concerns, and/or concrit? Please leave it!


	2. Seven Year Itch

...Seven Year Itch…

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The world of shinobi changed within seven years; Kisame didn't recognize it.

He had changed, despite death, within seven years; he didn't recognize himself at times.

He remembered the Naruto brat: loud, brash, rude, and the bane of his and Itachi's partnership. It was boredom and nostalgia that brought him to Konoha to check in on his partner—somewhat friend's old village. Kisame saw it in Itachi's face when they first entered Konoha all those years ago, love and loyalty etched into his being for this village.

Kisame could relate. Mist had been his life, his reason for living, and it had all been lies. Lies that he believed as his truths. Had Itachi felt the same? He was willing to die as a lie, for a lie. Kisame wanted to die for truth and now his situation was unbalanced. Living, dead, or maybe somewhere in-between. The critical thinking he once relinquished for instinct he had no choice but to extract. The space between his brows pinched as fought to remember something, he scoffed. It wasn't worth the headache, remembering something forgotten.

A cloud of dust erupted like a wave; it washed over and through him. His eyes were unbothered; the physical didn't affect him anymore. It troubled him in the beginning, the lack of sensation and touch. No longer did he flinch, but he couldn't help flinching this time. It wasn't the debris, cracked and shattered ground, nor was it the rush of wind. It was the person behind the demonstration, Naruto.

The kid had grown up.

He was wearing Hokage robes.

Things had changed.

Konoha must've been mentally disturbed to elect Naruto as Hokage. _All talk, no skills_ was what he had thought of the kid when he first met him. Despite the white robe with a crimson swirl upon the back, he loudly laughed and raised his hands to crowd of children. The gasps of awe filled the air and inflated his ego.

"Of course I'm cool!"

Kisame felt the familiar pinch of pressure attack his brow with a vengeance. This idiot _is_ Hokage; this was what the shinobi world had come to. Naruto's laughter consumed the children's laughter and Kisame realized the Hokage was demonstrating a technique for Konoha's future ninja.

There had never been innocence in the faces of the children from Mist. The only demonstrations in Mist were the gruesome deaths of those that failed. He understood Mist wasn't what used to be, but he couldn't' forget the bloody history—his past.

"Stop showing off, Brother!"

Naruto's laughter ceased as his gaze looked to the pouting girl now standing in front of him. Her cobalt eyes were lit with annoyance as she kept her arms tightly wrapped around her flat chest. Her short black hair was pulled into a single ebony dumpling atop her head leaving her bangs to frame her slender face. He was vaguely reminded of a piece of Dango.

"Eh, Little Chitai, don't scold your Hokage." Naruto whined more than scolded, the children giggled at him as Chitai remained serious.

"I'm embarrassed you act _my_ age," Chitai pouted.

Naruto laughed as he assured, "You should act six, and you're too serious." He glanced away as he softly grumbled, "Believe it."

Her voice was high-pitched, her cheeks puffed up in embarrassment and anger. If it wasn't for her soul he would've never guessed that the child standing up to the Hokage was female. His nose twitched and he caught the vague scent of cherries. _It couldn't be._

Chitai barely bore a resemblance to Kagome, but this child couldn't be her. The woman said she'd reincarnate, but could something like that happen so soon? She looked nothing Naruto; the family relationship was lost to him.

"Kagome!"

Kisame twisted his head to the left and sharply grinned; if he wasn't damned already, he'd be damned now. Sasuke Uchiha crossed the distance in a few steps and placed his hand upon the girl's shoulders. The weight of the touch caused the child to lose all spunk. Her emotions were buried beneath a mask of indifference. It was a look Kisame associated with Uchiha. Naruto looked between the two and clapped his hands as he pointed to the Hokage Tower.

"Your sensei is waiting for you all!" He scowled when the children didn't react. "Hurry up and go before you get in trouble—there's food."

The promise of food caused the children to vanish in moment and the three of them were left alone. Sasuke's hand upon the girl's shoulder like a weight and Naruto solemnly watching the interaction. Kisame regarded the girl; she did look like an Uchiha.

_Itachi never settled with anyone and Sasuke is too young._

"My name." The girl spoke quietly unlike the tone she held earlier. It was filled with pride and not subdued despite the softness. "..is _Chitai_ Kagome Uchiha." She stepped away and sharply turned on her heel as she pointed an accusing finger toward Sasuke. "I do not answer to someone that ignores me!"

The child was fast. She stepped forward and vanished in a blur. Her soul burned with energy and life warning him that her time was not near.

"You sure are a bastard," Naruto said, bluntly.

Sasuke's glare was a firm as he kept his silence. The rage was seething beneath his skin as he glared at the Hokage. Naruto smirked as he reached up and cradled the back of his head with his arms. His gaze focused on the sky despite being lost in his thoughts. It was as if nothing in the world mattered. The only thing he was grateful for was being in Chitai's life as an adopted brother. He scowled, Sasuke was still too serious.

"It was foolish to leave her with me," Sasuke finally muttered.

Naruto silently arched a brow as he looked to the boy—now man he fought so hard to bring back to the village. In the end, he never brought him back. Sasuke came back because of Itachi, the hatred of Konoha was still there, but it was subdued for Chitai.

"Don't be an idiot like usual—"

"Naruto…"

"She's still _your_ family."

Kisame looked to Sasuke watching as his look darkened then saddened. There was a defeated sorrow upon the man that caused his shoulders to sag.

"Kagome—"

Naruto gave Sasuke a look.

"_Chitai." _It was correction that left a bitter sting upon his tongue. He preferred Kagome to Chitai. "…is a mistake."

Naruto scowled as he sharply reminded, "She is the last of your family!" Sasuke's eyes darkened as he glanced away preferring not to have this conversation. Naruto reached out and crushed the Uchiha's shirt in his hand as he growled, "She is your _brother's _legacy."

Sasuke jerked away as if burned, his eyes wild as if he had been cornered. Naruto was aware of his brother's pain, but to acknowledge it as if wounds had healed was not acceptable. He didn't wish to think of Chitai's origins. She would merely be Kagome, a name granted to her by Sakura. His heart wasn't burdened by her existence when he looked at her as Kagome the orphan, the girl in the labs, and forgot she was Uchiha. There were ghosts that haunted him and clung to her like a thick sheen of perspiration, the past would always linger, overshadowing anything she could be.

"Sasuke." The softness in Naruto's voice forced him from his dark thoughts. The Hokage looked deeply upset, his eyes reflecting something they were both familiar with. _Not being recognized._ "You can't tell me raising her means nothing to you…can you?"

Sasuke felt like they were kids facing off once more, a chasm between them. Except, there was no reason to fight. Did Kagome mean anything to him—_she's my world._ She was Itachi's legacy, the last of the Uchiha, and the only family he had left. She wasn't truly family, a surviving mistake of the past, but she had _become_ family.

"Naruto," Sasuke whispered, "she's my world."

The emotion in those words left Naruto feeling breathless. The Uchiha did his best to hide behind his mask, and to see him this way. His feelings toward Chitai weren't confused. He smirked; he knew leaving the child with Sasuke was the right choice.

Kisame watched Itachi's brother leave, trailing no doubt after the girl. He didn't understand what legacy Itachi could leave behind. His eyebrows furrowed, he didn't have anything to leave behind. Naruto softly grumbled before he followed after the school kids. Kisame let his eyes drift shut as he searched for her soul; the soul that had once tasted of cherries. He easily found her once more and recognized the soul as Chitai, Kagome. There was no doubt in his mind that Chitai Kagome Uchiha was the reincarnation of the Kagome that that made him a reaper, a Collector.

His seven years of wandering, collecting, and being restless would come to an end starting now. It seemed the Uchiha drama would never end and he would be here to watch it all unfold.

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Author's Note:

Chitai pronounced _She-tie. _She is truly Kagome; there is no doubt about it. Though how is related to the Uchiha? Any guesses?

Questions may be answered. Concerns may be addressed. Reviews will be praised. Constructive Critic will be valued.


End file.
